Michela Ledwidge is an Australian artist, director and technologist whose career brings together creativity, programming and experimental filmmaking. Fascinated by computers from an early age, she began exploring technology in the 1980s, when she secretly played with her father's Commodore 64. Her early interest in computers grew into a lifelong passion for finding new ways to tell stories and bring interactive media to life. Living in Sydney, Australia, Michela works at the intersection of film, technology and interactive media. She began her gender transition at the age of 25, and her personal and professional journeys reflect a willingness to explore new possibilities and challenge conventional boundaries.
Michela founded MOD Films in the United Kingdom in 2004, developing experimental approaches to cinema that allow audiences to engage with and remix film content. In 2010, she co-founded Mod Productions in Sydney with Mish Sparks, creating a studio dedicated to interactive entertainment and innovative media experiences. Among their projects is The Virtual Orchestra, an immersive installation developed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra that allows audiences to experience performances through interactive three-dimensional imagery and sound. A technologist as well as an artist, Michela enjoys writing, coding and composing music. Her early exposure to the internet profoundly influenced her approach to media-making, encouraging her to explore the possibilities of networked communication and collaboration. Through her work, she brings together technical knowledge and artistic imagination, continually exploring new ways to connect audiences with stories and experiences.
Monika: Michela, welcome! It's a pleasure to have you with us today.
Michela: Hi Monika!
Monika: Please tell us a little about yourself.
Michela: I’m a 40-something artist and director living in Sydney, working on multi-platform media productions. I transitioned when I was 25.
Monika: You have a reputation as a geek, having been involved in the development of so many inventions. Does the label suit you?
Michela: That’s fair. I’ve been a technologist since the 80s, when I used to sneak into my parents’ bedroom to play with Dad’s Commodore 64, which I wasn’t supposed to touch without supervision. I’m still mucking around with new tech all these years later and enjoy writing words, code, and music. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to the internet early on, and networked communication has been the basis of my approach to media making ever since.
Monika: You have almost 20 years of experience in the digital media sector and have been at the forefront of cutting-edge developments. Where do you see digital media heading?
Michela: Things are pretty cyclic. We’re still exploring internet ideas that were first mooted in the 60s and 70s, and human nature is still the key driver. Digital media is undeniably an amazing resource for those privileged enough to have it, and we will see some amazing engineering and medical advances in the coming years that will employ new forms of media making.
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| Night of Many Stars - MISSED premiere. |
Monika: Is there a side of that future that worries you?
Michela: However, I do fear that digital media may one day be a poor substitute for quality media, distributed to the masses who cannot afford more organic, humanist forms. I don’t spend much time trying to predict the future, but Jaron Lanier’s recent book “Who Owns The Future?” describes an uncomfortable vision I can relate to.
Monika: In 2001 you wrote, directed, and produced the multilingual interactive short film “Horses for Courses”, which won the web3d art prize at SIGGRAPH that year. What inspired you to make it?
Michela: It was 2001! I wanted to make a modern film that reflected the times and, for me, that meant poking fun at the crass commercialism around the first dotcom boom (this was before the bubble crashed) and taking advantage of early web tech that would give the audience interactive control of the camera and story (in a way that is now mainstream in video games).
Monika: Did you direct any other films after that?
Michela: A few short films, but I have been working on immersive video systems, the tools themselves, for a number of years. My most recent show as a director is ACO VIRTUAL, an interactive immersive video experience of the Australian Chamber Orchestra that was shot with 13 3D cameras rolling and released in 2013.
Monika: Has a film on a transgender theme ever tempted you as a director?
Michela: I have been filing ideas away for transgender film-making for about 25 years under the label “T*”, but nothing much has come out of it yet, apart from a little interactive video jukebox piece in 2006, where I contributed to a group show called Deviant Bodies. I’m sure I will do something one day.
Monika: When you were going through your transition, was there anyone in the transgender community you looked up to?
Michela: I spent a lot of time researching transgender stories around the world, and high-profile Australians like Carlotta certainly helped clarify my sense of identity, but I never went through a drag queen/showgirl phase, so I was more influenced by conversations that I had face-to-face with social workers and with anonymous peers on the IRC (Internet Relay Chat) network on channel #crossdress than by anything else.
Monika: The internet seems to have played a big part in that period of your life. What did it give you?
Michela: As an early Web professional, access to global networks was a real gift in that I could converse and discuss with other transgender people around the world. Some of those early conversations were more valuable than media coverage.
Monika: Coming out is rarely easy. What was the hardest part for you?
Michela: Gaining acceptance and support from my family. I grew up in a very conservative Catholic household and was educated in a very masculine way. It took many years for my transition to be reconciled with my parents and sisters.
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| Sydney Film Festival 2009. Winning the inaugural Peter Rasmussen Award at the Sydney Film Festival. |
Monika: How are things with your family today?
Michela: We’re all still very close, but there were a number of very uncomfortable years where I had to go off and do my own thing and complete my transition. I love being part of my extended family and I’m very grateful that the hard years of acceptance are over.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation of transgender women in Australian society?
Michela: Australia is going through a particularly bad period politically and socially. We’re gaining an international reputation as a cold, uncaring, mean, and narrow-minded society through our politics. This does filter down to the treatment of all minorities. Ultimately, this is quite a sexist society, and women are often expected to behave in quite masculine ways to get ahead in business and public life.
Monika: Is there anything positive to balance that picture?
Michela: We have rights and freedoms that should not be taken for granted. I go about my personal and professional life without any real fear of persecution or harm based on who I am. I live in “tranny central” in the heart of Sydney, where the population has the most sexual and gender diversity in the country. In other words, it can be a bit of a bubble! I do feel that transgender identity is still not taken seriously by most of the population and is considered (quietly) to be a mental illness. As a transgender entrepreneur, this is very unhelpful. We’re a conservative bunch here!
Monika: A few weeks ago Jared Leto received his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing the transgender Rayon in “Dallas Buyers Club”. How do you feel about the way transgender stories and characters have been featured in films, newspapers, and books so far?
Michela: The more the merrier. I think it’s great that transgender stories are more visible, and it would be good to see more transgender creative talent out there as well. Leto’s character didn’t resonate that strongly with me, but I did love Laverne Cox’s character in Orange is the New Black. More characters that were not bitchy, queens, or hairdressers would be good.
Monika: Transgender people are usually grouped together with the rest of the LGBT community, and T is the last letter in the abbreviation. Is the transgender community able to promote its own cause within that group?
Michela: It’s a tricky one. I do respect the role of LGBTI organizations to advocate on our behalf for the rights of all sex and gender diverse people, but it is important that transgender individuals not rely on broad-brush associations. In my experience, transgender identity is not always well understood even within LGBTI organizations, and our issues are not always taken seriously.
Monika: Are you active in politics, perhaps through lobbying campaigns? And can transgender women really make a difference in that arena?
Michela: I used to be more directly involved in politics than I am today, mainly supporting my partner when she was active in student politics and direct action, but not so much directly now.
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| Trooper, Blade, and Michela. Much of 2005 was spent working on her sci-fi superhero flick Sanctuary. |
Monika: Does your own visibility count as a form of political engagement?
Michela: I always feel that simply by being out and proud as a transgender person in society, especially as an entrepreneur, there is a political dimension to everything I do. I rarely get directly asked about my status or gender politics today in conservative Australia, but it is clearly noted.
Monika: What is the most effective thing the transgender community can do politically?
Michela: The best thing we can do politically is to be visible as active members of the wider community. In Australia, I’m a supporter of community advocacy groups like ACON and Get Up that actively lobby our government on specific issues. Absolutely, transgender women can make a difference in politics, just by being present at the table.
Monika: What role does love play in your life?
Michela: I’ve been in a same-sex (lesbian) relationship for the last 16 years, and we’ve been married for 13. Without love, my life would be far poorer, but you can’t go looking for it. I’ve been extremely lucky to find a partner with a very open perspective on gender. We met in the very early stages of my transition, so our relationship has been a real journey of discovery.
Monika: Many transgender women write their memoirs. Has a book of your own ever crossed your mind?
Michela: Yes, but there are more interesting things to write about than me.
Monika: What new projects are keeping you busy at the moment?
Michela: Mod is working on a new interactive exhibition for the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra at the moment, called Power Of 1. It’s an interesting time for Australia, and we’re treating this as an opportunity to create something a little provocative and remind people about what they can do with their vote. I’m also developing a number of new shows that will use our immersive video technology that has been very successful with ACO VIRTUAL.
Monika: What would you say to transgender girls who are struggling with gender dysphoria?
Michela: Be true to yourself and trust your instincts. Work out what help you need and ask for it. As my grandmother said during the transition, “Oh well... as long as you’re healthy.”
Monika: Is there anything else you would add for them?
Michela: Stay healthy and listen to your body. It can be such a confusing time, but I think for most of us, we’ve had to channel inner strength to confront social norms and be brave about who we are. Self-respect and confidence come from within. It’s easy to be glib about all this, especially when living in a society where I am not in serious danger of being killed over my identity, but people respect those who respect themselves. Respect and all power to you!
Monika: Michela, thank you so much for this conversation!
All the photos: courtesy of Michela Ledwidge.
© 2014 - Monika
Kowalska
